Two orders of business before the heart of it.
First, a reply to BNG's comment about BC's ranking. By your logic, did WVU deserve its top 10 ranking? I'd take wins over Georgia Tech and Wake Forest (a BCS team last year) over Maryland and East Carolina. And last year? Marquee wins came against Rutgers (at home), Maryland (at home) and Cincinnati (at home). Did I think WVU deserved its Top 10 ranking? Yeah, maybe not Top 5, but I made that clear. I didn't pick it that way because of who they had beaten. I picked it because they have a dangerous offense and found ways to win 11 games last year. Boston College is 5-0 with a great running attack, a senior quarterback playing well and a defense that has done a lot of good this year.
Second, I've failed in lining up an interview. I'm blaming baseball playoffs.
But I have Matt Grothe lined up for next week, so send any questions you'd like asked my way.
In lieu we'll talk about Thursday night's huge SEC game between South Carolina and Kentucky. It's kind of weird to say that this game carries so much weight, but it does. For starters, it emphasizes the depth of the SEC. Also, it gives Andre Woodson another chance to pitch his case for the No. 1 pick and Heisman Trophy.
Sadly, I cannot watch much of this game. I'll be blogging the Yankee game live and after I'll be up to my ears in Yankees. But I'll do my best. Enough about me.
Back to the game. Let's look at the matchups.
Kentucky's offense vs. South Carolina's defense
The Wildcats have been on fire this year thanks to Woodson. The Wildcats are putting up 492 yards and 46.6 points per game. Because Woodson is such a threat, the offense has been very balanced. Rafael Little and Tony Dixon spearhead a rushing attack that is ranked 15th in the country. Do many of these yards on the ground come when they're up 30 on E. Kentucky, FAU and Kent State? Sure. But Little was good for 151 against Louisville, so he can get it done in the clutch as well. But back to that passing game. We know what Woodson can do, but who is he throwing to? Keenan Burton and Steve Johnson are the names you need to know. Burton had two TDs in a huge win over Arkansas and the senior is a true home run hitter, coming off a 1,000-yard season.
But that offense will face it's toughest defensive test this season. Steve Spurrier's boys can bring the wood on defense. The loss of linebacker Jasper Brinkley is devastating for this defense, but Marvin Sapp is a serviceable stopgap for the middle of that front seven. Obviously, the quartet of Carlos Thomas, Captain Munnerlyn (money name), Darian Stewart and Emmanuel Cook will have their hands full with Woodson & Co. But they've answered the bell this year, as South Carolina boasts the country's top pass defense. Ask Georgia's Matthew Stafford. He finished 19-44 with an INT at home against the boys from SoCo. Now, if the pass defense is that good, something's gotta give with the rushing defense, right? Yes. Two weeks ago LSU ran all over the Gamecocks as if nobody took the field (although that's not uncommon for an LSU opponent). But UL-Lafayette hung 252 yards on the ground in Week 1 as well. If Little gets going early, watch out.
South Carolina's offense vs. Kentucky's defense
Does Kentucky stop outscoring its opponents Thursday night? Maybe. They've done it twice already this year. The Wildcats are pretty bad against the run. Real bad, actually. You kind of figured it might be trouble when Kent State romped for 324 yards in Week 2 and you knew it would be bad when Darren McFadden and Felix Jones hosted Arkansas in Week 4 and helped post 338 yards on UK.
South Carolina doesn't have the most fear-instilling offense, but it has a pair of backs that you have to contain in Cory Boyd and Mike Davis. Together they're good for 130 a game, and they keep fresh legs coming at a defense that needs to stay off the field. Gamecocks quarterback Chris Smelley could really open this game up if he can make just three or four plays with his legs in the first half.
This is the key matchup in this game. I'm going to sleep on it, play some basketball in the morning and pick a winner in the afternoon. You'll be hearing from me. But I would block off some time to watch this one, unless your blogging the Yankee game like me.
Comments (1)
Adam, BC's played ONE game on the road where they beat a GT team by 14.
Your WVU comparison this year, isn't the same because WVU was working off a smaller sample size and outscored their opponents significantly. Besides, by losing to USF, WVU proved they were over ranked.
BC will also fall. Not this week or next Bowling Green and Notre Dame, but fall they will, and when they do, they're strength of schedule (or lack thereof) will be a major story in their demise.